Orange coolant (again!)

[Jimbob]

Hello all. I'm new to this website having looked for ages for a decent uk Williams site (most seem to be French - understandable, and Italian, and my Italian aint great ??). The orange / brown coolant seems to be a common problem. I have owned my Williams 1 for about two years and it has always had this coloured coolant. When I bought the car (mint at 34k miles) I brought this up with the seller, who also said it had been like that since he had owned it. It had spent many years in the garage as he moved to Australia and kept it in storage (over 2 years). Previously it had been owned by a little old lady who never drove it (an amusing story I'll tell you all later!) and a collector. I bought the car regardless due to its genuine low milage and absolutely mint condition. I then took it to Renault for a major service and they checked it and said the coolant it quite normal. It has been regually serviced since, and each time I bring it up with Renault or my local garage and they keep telling me not to worry! I'm considering flushing it anyway and changing the header tank. Orange doesnt go with 449 blue! :D So is this orange coolant really a problem?

[TriO`]

Hi mate, welcome to the site...


loads of them have dodgy coloured coolant. I doubt it really changes the overall performance of the cooling system that much... (unless its a completely ****ed). It's just rust from the waterways in the block and maybe the rad. Just give it a good flushing and if you really want to make it look nice, get a new bottle and all should be sweet as a nut.

last time i changed mine i thought loads of crap was gonna come out because it was so discoloured, but if flushed through pretty easily.. It's still clean 3 months later too.

[Jimbob]

Cheers mate, will do that myself I think... I also appear to have a very minor mystery coolant leak. Its only noticable as it pools slightly on one of the engine mount pits. Again, Renault and other garages have looked at it, pressure tested etc and never found the leak! Either way, the tank never seems to get any lower and never had any cooling problems with the engine... Might get my feeder pipes changed when I get the header done!

[JonnyK]

Cheers mate, will do that myself I think... I also appear to have a very minor mystery coolant leak. Its only noticable as it pools slightly on one of the engine mount pits. Again, Renault and other garages have looked at it, pressure tested etc and never found the leak! Either way, the tank never seems to get any lower and never had any cooling problems with the engine... Might get my feeder pipes changed when I get the header done!

are you sure ur engine mount hasnt gone? as when mine went it had some form of liquid in the pit.

[Willy 2]

Its probably had Rad weld in it at some point. Its a bitch to fully remove. You always tend to have it floating around after a flush anyway.

Put it this way. if its making your car overheat then you have an issue. If it doesnt then id say nowt to worry about.

:D

[summeh]

Hi mate, where abouts in hamsphire are ya? quite a few of us about.

I recently bought a new header tank for mine... i thought it wa going to be slightly brown in colour but no, its completely transparent.

I'd advise giving the system a good flush for about 30mins down different water hoses. You'll be supprised how long it takes to run clean.

Halfrauds sell some nice pink coolant... or the original reno stuff is yellow/green colour. Looks very cool :)

[Lunner]

I use blue col stuff, or i've got some extreme stuff in mine atm tyhats a mucky green colour

[VIPERONE]

leak: check bleed screw on rad

[Jimbob]

I think its the main rad feeder pipe (thick black one) as if I feel under it after driving it is sometimes damp. Its the original pipe and I suspect its perished slightly... Pretty certain its not the mount. The bit it pools in is actually part of the upper metal moulding to the upper side of the gearbox and its the same orange as the coolant.

[BRUN]

when was it last changed ?

it might just be old, give it a good flush and fill it with some new stuff, a lot on here use the Renault stuff as its pre mixed and you can just pour it in

coolant doesnt last forever, a few years at most, id get it sorted before the winter sets in

[Swervin_Mervin]

You can buy some flush from Halfrauds. You put it in, take it for a run of x miles and then drain and rinse out with a hose.

Never used mine though.